George l



No Model.) 2 S1188t8-$1168t 1. G. L. THOMAS.

ELECTRIC MOTOR.

No. 552,858. Patented Jan. 7, 1896.

. ATTORNEY.

Ml MEI I.GIlllAll.HiOYD-LHND-WASNING1ON.QC.

2 ShBetS- Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

G. L. THOMAS. ELEGTRIG MOTOR.

WW Q A TTORNE Y. I

Patented Jan. '7

l i INVENTOH NITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

(BrEORGE Ii. THOMAS, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE I'IASELIJ PER- FEOTED RAILIVAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,858, dated January "7, 1896.

Applicatio fil d March 19, 1895. Serial No. 542,309. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. Tnonas, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Motors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the production of motive power by electricity, and the control of said power by the same means.

My invention consists in the apparatus hereinafter described, whereby gas is pro duced under pressure by electrically heating a volatile fluid in a closed vessel, which gas is caused to actuate a motor, whence it passes to a condenser, where it is reliquefied and returned. to the generator.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a section on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan View and partial section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. i is a detail section on the line a at of Fig.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

2 5 A is a supporting-frame mounted upon any suitable base.

B is a tank of metal having a lining O of cement or other insulating material which will not be chemically attacked by the gas or liquid therein contained. The tank B has a funnel-shaped cover D, in the center of which is seated the conicalvalve E. The valve-sten1 F extends upwardly through a guide G, secured to the cover D. Below the guide and 3 5 pressing upon the valve E is a spiral spring F, which holds the valve to its scat. Also secured to the cover D is the metal bottom plate II of the gas-condensing chamber 1, which plate at its central portion is downwardly in- 0 clined to correspond to the inclination of the funnel-shaped cover I).

J is the upper plate of the condensing-chamher. The wall of said chamber is in bellows form and is united to the plates II and J.

Above the central opening in plate J is a closed cylinder K, into which the valvestem F enters through said opening.

L is a stop on the upper part of the valvestem.

Extending from the upper portion of the tank B to the bottom plate II of the condensin g-chamber are two pipes M and M. Mounted upon short vertical branches N N of said pipes M M, and also upon frame A, are two cylinders O 0, open at the top. In each cylinder is a piston P P, having a piston-rod O O, which passes up through a guide R R on the cylinder. Pivoted to brackets S S on said guides are levers T T, against which the piston-rods bear, as shown. At the points of 6c junction of the pipes M M and branches N N are disposed rotary two-way valves, as shown in Fig. l, by means of which communication is established from the tank B to either cylinder O O, or from either cylinder to the con- 6 5 (lensing-chamber I. On each valve-stem is a pinion U U, with which engages the rack V V on the pivoted bell-crank levers W W. At their opposite ends said levers carry counterweights X X. Pivoted to said levers \V IV are rods Y Y, which carry at their lower ends the armatures Z Z of the electro magnets a a. The rods Y Y have guide-slots which receive pins which are on the short arms l) b, which are pivoted to the frame II. 7 5

Within the tank Bis a coil 0 of conducting material, the ends of which communicate with a voltaic battery (1.

The operation of the device is as follows, taking for illustration its application to the So setting and withdrawing of any 1nechanicallyoperated railway-signal: In the tank B is placed any liquid which is easily vaporized at low temperature, such as gasoline, naphtha, or, preferably, sulphuric ether. This is put in the tank once for all, since if the apparatus be properly made with tight joints there is no leakage or other loss of gas. Sulphuric ether, as is well known, boils at 96 Fahrenheit. I find no dilficulty in causing this by 0 the heat of the coil 0, due to the current from the battery, and in so obtaining an abundant volume of gas at pressure amply sufficient to operate the working mechanism. Suppose now that circuit is established over a line from a distant point to the electromagnet a. This magnet thus becoming energized attracts its armature Z, drawing down the rod Y, and

thereby moving the lever \V, which by the rack and pinion rotates the two-way valve.

in pipe M to establish communication from the tank 13 to the cylinder 0. The gas then entering beneath the piston in said cylinder raises said piston and so moves the lever T, which being connected with the signal mechanism operates, as assumed, to set the signal. hen it is desired to withdraw the signal, circuit is broken with electromagn et a, which releases its armature, and the counterweight X descending rotates the two-way valve a quarter-turn from the position shown in Fig. 4, thus cutting oif communication between the cylinder 0 and tank 13 and establishing communication between said cylinder and the condensing-chamber I. Meanwhile circuit is established to the electromagnet a, which attracting its armature in the manner already detailed rotates the two-way valve in pipe M to establish communication between cylinder 0 and tank B, so that the gas elevates the piston in said cylinder and thus moves the lever T, which, as assumed, operates the sig nal-withdrawing mechanism. The gas from cylinder 0 exhausts, as stated, into the condensing-chamber I, and there condenses, accumulating in liquid form in the funnelshaped top of the cylinder-cover D. Vhen suflicient gas has entered the chamber I to elevate the upper plate J thereof sufficiently to meet the stop L on the valve-rod F, further rising of said plate lifts the valve E and permits the liquid to flow back into the tank B, where it is evaporated anew. Of course the gas from cylinder 0 in like manner exhausts into chamber I, and is condensed and flows back in the same way.

The spiral spring on the stem of valve E may be adjusted to allow that valve to lift at any desired pressure within the tank and so to serve as a safety-valve, the gas then passing directly into chamber I and condensing there.

I claim- 1. The combination with a motor operated by gas pressure, of a closed reservoir containing a volatile fluid, a conductor in said fluid, a source of electricity in constantly closed circuit with said conductor, whereby said con ductor is heated and gas under pressure is continuously produced, a condensing chamber, and a valve between said condensing chamber and said reservoir, the said valve being constructed to open at a determinate gas pressure and so to permit a flow of gas from said reservoir directly to said chamber, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a motor operated by gas pressure, of a closed reservoir containing a volatile fluid, a conductor in said fluid, a source of electricity in constantly closed circuit with said conductor, whereby said conductor is heated and gas under pressure is continuously produced, a condensing chamber, a valve between said condensing chamber and said reservoir constructed to open at determinate gas pressure in said reservoir, and means actuated by a determinate pressure within said condensing chamber for allowing the fluid condensed therein to flow back into said reservoir, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a motor operated by gas pressure of a closed reservoir containing a volatile fluid, a conductor in said fluid,a source of electricity in constantly closed circuit with said conductor, whereby said conductor is heated and gas under pressure is continuously produced, a condensing chamber, 21. valve between said condensing chamber and said reservoir constructed to open at a determinate gas pressure in said reservoir, and independent means for opening said valve actuated by a determinate pressure within said condensing chamber, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the reservoir 13 containing a volatile fluid and coil 0, battery (Z in constantly closed circuit with said coil, a motor communicating with said reservoir, condensing chamber I above said reservoir 13 and valve E provided with spring F between said chamber and reservoir, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a closed tank or reservoir, a volatile fluid therein, means of electrically heating said fluid, a motor actuated by the gas so produced, a condensing chamber communicating with said motor, wherein the gas produced is liquefied, and means actuated by a determinate gas pressure within said chamber for allowing said liquid to flow back to said tank, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the reservoir 13, containing a volatile fluid, means of heating said fluid, a condensing chamber I, a valve E, between said chamber and said reservoir, a motor communicating with said reservoir and exhausting into said chamber and mechanism actuated by gas pressure within said chamber for opening said valve E, and allowing the liquefied gas in said chamber to flow back into said reservoir, substantially as de scribed.

7. The combination of the reservoir B, containing a volatile fluid, means of heating said fluid, a condensing chamber I, having one wall or side outwardly movable by the pressure of gas within said chamber, a valve between said chamber and said reservoir, a motor communicating with said reservoir and exhausting into said chamber and mechanism between said valve and said wall or side, whereby the outward movement of said wall to a predetermined extent may open said valve and allow the liquefied gas in said chamber to flow back into said reservoir, substantially as described.

8. The combination of a closed tank or res- IIO ervoir B, a volatile fluid therein and means of actuating the same, the condensing charm ber I, having bellows sides and movable upper plate J, supported above said reservoir, a valve E, seated in the top of said reservoir, and having a vertical stem F, passing through the plate J, and provided with a stop L, and

a motor communicating with said reservoir and said chamber, substantially as described.

GEORGE L. THOMAS. "Witnesses:

H. R. MOLLER, M. Bose-H. 

